The 2020/21 League One season could start on September 12th, according to Shrewsbury Town chief executive Brian Caldwell. The EFL and its clubs are set to meet this week to discuss a date for the beginning of the new campaign and whether any fans would be able to attend matches.

No date has yet been agreed but a September start has previously been mentioned, although a number of League One and Two clubs are believed to want to wait until such time as crowds are able to attend en masse, which may not be until the new year.

“We’re working on the basis that it could be mid-September,” Caldwell told the Shropshire Star.

“The last we were told it could be the last week in August or mid-September — there’s an international break the week of September 5th so we’re hearing through the grapevine, without anything official, that it could potentially be September 12th.

“We’re trying to base it on that until anything is confirmed, but it’s what we’ve heard from a few places.”

Walsall chairman Leigh Pomlett has said that the Saddlers are also working on the assumption that the season will start in the second week of September.

The EFL is holding their regular board meeting on Wednesday with a conference call involving League One clubs set for Thursday.

The meetings will discuss the start date and whether some fans could attend at that stage rather than games being played behind closed doors, as well as other issues such as transfer window dates.

Ron Martin, chairman of Southend, relegated to League Two after 2019/20 was curtailed, told the Southend Echo: “This week the EFL board will meet with clubs to discuss a restart date and whether that might include some crowds.

“A third or half-full stadiums has been suggested and the club will update our supporters, via the web site, when we know more.

“However, if I were to hazard a guess I would think many clubs would favour mid-September with half crowds.

“This of course remains subject to Covid-19 subsiding further. Everybody will need to abide by the rules for their own, family and friends wellbeing.”

Meanwhile, AFC Wimbledon have taken up a one-year option to keep former Town youngster Shane McLoughlin, 23, who joined them from the Blues in January 2019.

Photo: TWTD

dazz added 18:03 - Jun 29 That mean we can still get c. 15k in the gate..?
1

itfchorry added 18:49 - Jun 29 Sadly the way the Club has been run since the departure of Jim Magilton has lead us to this level.
5

Bluemike31 added 18:58 - Jun 29 And what the hell has that got to do with the article?
0

dirtydingusmagee added 19:01 - Jun 29 the way EFL went about ending the season ,the September start will be December . Dont hold your breath folks .
9

DurhamTownFan added 21:09 - Jun 29 The way we're playing, we'd be lucky to get a third full anyway! 😂
3

ArnieM added 21:13 - Jun 29 I fear once again the small clubs will prevail with Their wishes, and to hell with the rest of us ! They are I feel by their refusal to start the season, failing to fulfil the EFL requirements to complete fixtures. So under normal circumstances they could be expelled . But these are not normal times as well know. So maybe the EFL should perhaps consider allowing this clubs that are able / willing to start the season, to do so. Play a mini League if you. Promotion and relegation to be agreed by the competing Clubs and EFL before the season starts.

-1

Westy added 21:15 - Jun 29 Typical EFL. If a September start is likely, then there was time to finish the 2019-2020. If it was safe for the Premiership and Championship, then it was safe for everybody. Clubs will have to compensate season ticket holders that did not get to see the full schedule if games. According to law they must, so it would have been better to complete and save themselves the cost.

1

RegencyBlue added 21:41 - Jun 29 There is no way fans are going to be allowed into grounds this side of Christmas! Leicester has just been put back into lockdown and that situation is likely to happen elsewhere. Allowing crowds anywhere for the foreseeable future is just going to be asking for trouble.
3

Bert added 22:33 - Jun 29 As others have said, if League One starts in mid September without crowds what was the purpose of not fulfilling all fixtures this season. I give up trying to understand the decision makers. They allow the top two tier players to mingle with each other, jump on each other when they score but at a wedding you can't sing, dance or do f..k all !!!!
7

JohnyJohnson added 23:22 - Jun 29 I will be supporting Stowmarket Town next season. Completely fed up with how football is all about money.
4

Cloddyseedbed added 07:48 - Jun 30 It is/was an outrage for the Premier League to be given permission to restart. That decision was made purely due to the big money just the Premier league gets. They have to reguarly test players but can easily afford it, others can't. I agree with others, watching them go about the game with contact, hugging each other and spitting is hard to watch when our teams are not allowed to do anything. The way footballers in the top flight have been treated during this pandemic and the way the rest of society has had to cope and adhere to rules sickens me. Premier league you all think you are above any laws and are gods. You are just spoilt rich barstools. Has properly turned me off football and love of the game. I fear for all clubs in div 1 and below. With the budget ITFC will have next year forget any sucess. You will not win anything with a team of youngsters that are 'given a chance'. As soon as a 'youngster is any good they are shipped out to help with the running expenses of the club. RIP ITFC.

4

DurhamTownFan added 09:05 - Jun 30 Guys, ours wasn't about how safe it was. It was about finances. The smaller clubs in our league and L2 simply can not afford to keep organising and playing games with no crowds. Their income is almost entirely dependent on people watching their games, buying a programme and a coffee in the ground, etc. The small clubs are SO small in some of these cases. If you're upset by that and think we shouldn't be dealing with them, blame those who have brought us to this level.

4

Razor added 10:27 - Jun 30 I have no confidence in te muppets running the EFL and am expecting nothing from those idiots. They clearly never wanted a re-start and having got that who knows what they will come up with now. You would have thought it would have been easier in the lower 2 leagues to control the crowds with a bit of creative thinking as less prople. Meanwhile I ma now enjoying the Norwegian footy on Eurosport and it is good to see some of the teams my Norwegian friends support----they seem to have very limited crowds in the stadium so must have a plan?

0

DebsyAngel added 10:50 - Jun 30 Cloddyseedbed - agree 100% with what you have said. I hardly watch the football now and money has ruined the game. It too sickens me to see them all close together hugging and kissing and yet I cannot do that with my family or friends.
1

blues1 added 13:30 - Jun 30 What's up with some people. Apart from the fact that some of the comments on here, as usual, have nothing to do with the story, the fact is that many clubs would simply go out of of business if forced to play behind closed doors. And that's why they voted for this season to be ended., The pl/championship players can hug each other bcse theyve all been tested twice in the lead up to the game. The argument that it's the fault of those who got us into lge1 are at fault for this situation is ridiculous. Yes, they're at fault for getting us into lge1, but unless you think they're responsible for covid19, then how are they to blame for this situation regarding when we can start playing again.

1

istanblue added 18:30 - Jun 30 The EFL/FA/government should have given all League 1 and 2 clubs a form of solidarity payment that would have tide them over until the end of the season, thereby enabling them to finish their remaining games in the same way the Championship and Premier League are. I can't see any way Leagues 1 and 2 will start the new season in September unless fans are allowed to return en masse. That means ITFC will probably not play again until the new year in which case there will be 10 months or so with no fixtures. The whole way this has been handled by the EFL, PL and FA has been a disgrace.

1

londontractorboy57 added 10:40 - Jul 1 JohnyJohnson After 45 years ive called it a day I am off to support Kings Lynn .
0

Westy added 20:10 - Jul 1 Instanblue, I totally agree with you on this. The governing authorities have been a disgrace. League One and Two fixtures should have been played out. The damage to the game will be catastrophic. It would have cost less to play out the remaining games than to refund season ticket holders for the outstanding games.
0

Blogs 295 bloggers

Ipswich Town Polls